At the corner
Of Three Chopt and Wright
The traffic rushed past me
As I waited for the light
I’m on the way to work
Again
It seems I was just here
Waiting for the light to change
Was that yesterday?
My life’s an endless circle
The scenery’s the same
The traffic light the only thing
That ever seems to change
Yet even it
Repeats itself
The weather cycles too
From winter to winter and then
While I sit here looking upward
The sun shines through again

Like this:

And sooner or later
Everybody’s kingdom must end
And I’m so afraid your courtiers
Cannot be called best friends

The King Must Die, lyrics by B. Taupin
(c) 1969 Dick James Music, Inc.

In earlier posts, I have discussed the causes of depression. Research indicates that at least one cause of depression is physical. At the same time, depression is a complex illness and can also be caused by environmental factors such as abuse, conflict, major events and medications.

One of my doctors once told me that one of the signs of being an adult is being able to discard some of the things our parents taught us. Continue reading →

Happy New Year!

This is the first time in my life that I have felt hopeful about a new year starting. I’ve never felt this way before. 2014 was such a difficult year for me, with so many changes, uncertainty and unexpected events. 2015 can only be better, right? Even if it’s not, I’ve been through so much and not only survived, but persevered and thrived, that I know that no matter what life throws at me, I will be able to weather it. Now that is a new feeling for me. Continue reading →

Think I’m gonna kill myself
Cause a little suicide
Stick around for a couple of days
What a scandal if I died
I think I’m Going to Kill Myself, by B. Taupin
1972 Dick James Music Ltd.

Christmas and winter are bad times in terms of depression. Coping with depression is not a “one and done”. It takes constant reminders and “mindful” (I hate that term!) focus on the strategies that work. With that in mind (no pun intended), I’m re-posting an earlier post with holiday-specific tips.

Disclaimer: I’m no expert, and I’m not trying to give any medical advice. These are methods I use that help me cope. Perhaps some of them might help you too. Continue reading →

Like this:

I haven’t mentioned how my son is doing at college. That’s because—he’s not.

Let me back up to 1978. I went to high school in a small town in Maryland. Purportedly, less than 10% of the students went to college. I don’t know if that is true or not, but it felt like it at the time. Continue reading →

I’m at the point now where I’m just laughing as each new thing goes wrong. There’s nothing I can do about any of them. I can’t mention some of them, because they have to do with the house I’m trying to sell. But suffice it to say, we will be pouring more money into the house before we can sell it. We just replaced the kitchen appliances with stainless steel, because buyers want to see an “updated kitchen.” And Billy, the ultimate handy man, is replacing the fixtures, lights and mirrors in the bathrooms, and painting the vanities. The rooms look fantastic. But so far, no dice.